Designated Survivor ABC
Kiefer Sutherland plays US President Tom Kirkman on ABC's new political drama Designated Survivor ABC

Days after the drama of the presidential debate with Clinton and Trump, ABC's new political series Designated Survivor lines up for episode 2 titled First Day. Last week we saw Kiefer Sutherland's character Tom Kirkman, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the unlikely position of becoming the president of the United States after a massive explosion kills all the other senior members of the White House.

Now, the newly instated Potus, will have to take control of a country that is on the brink of falling apart — a role he is neither prepared for, nor wants.

"Yesterday I was asked to resign and now I have to put the entire US government back together," President Kirkman says in the opening scene of the episode 2 trailer.

Read the synopsis below:

"Hours after the attack on the Capitol, President Kirkman steps into his role as Commander-in-Chief in the midst of chaos and confusion. Facing dangerous new challenges and adversaries, Kirkman struggles to hold a country together that is on the brink of falling apart. Virginia Madsen guest stars."

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In the upcoming episode, the new First Lady Alex Kirkman (Natascha McElhone) discovers that her son is dealing drugs and back at the office, her husband is forced to face questions that could jeopardise his new position.

An interviewer asks him about being fired hours before the attack on the Capitol and he has to decide whether to be truthful to the American people and risk alienating them or lie to the press in a bid to hold some semblance of control over his new government.

The trailer ends with a problem at the White House. Could this be phase two of the attack on the US?

Episode 2 of Designated Survivor airs on ABC on Wednesday, 28 September at 10/9c. Watch the show live online on the network's official website.

Watch the trailer for the episode below: